A cross the river on the ballpark, they’re singing the Nationwide Anthem. Right here on the Kentucky aspect of the river, a vaguely acquainted rock track is wafting from the riverboat moored close by. Including to the cacophony a dozen geese meandering on the water close by are honking quietly amongst themselves.

On the Nice American Ballpark, they get to “… the rockets purple glare …,” and fireworks shoot out of what appears to be a riverboat’s smokestack.

The final place Cincinnati Reds are enjoying the Chicago Cubs in a six-game collection that may shut out the common season for each groups. It’s not been a very good yr for the hometown membership. Abysmal is the phrase. Two nights later of their remaining sport of the season, they may lose their one centesimal sport.

I used to be taking this in whereas bobbing in my kayak the place the Licking River flows into the Ohio.

The 300-mile river flows north by way of Kentucky and enters the Ohio immediately throughout from downtown Cincinnati. Nineteenth-century frontiersmen referred to as the small river Nice Salt Lick Creek for the saline tributaries that flowed into it and attracted animals to the salt deposits.

Simply upstream on the Licking is the fieldhouse for the Cincinnati Jr. Rowing Membership.

I’d launched three miles upstream and whereas paddling down the small river, I’d handed a few dozen rowing shells, most of them powered by highschool youngsters.

Female and male groups of their eight- and four-person slivers of boat passed by noiselessly, wanting like some big caterpillars skimming throughout the water.

On Monday, the afternoon earlier than, I’d been within the stadium with three associates for a twilight Reds-Cubs sport. Although the sport wasn’t a lot to look at — neither crew had a .300 hitter within the lineup — it was a stunning night. The sport appeared extra like a household outing than a sporting occasion, like a visit to the park.

Children sporting Reds caps and baseball gloves stood on the fringe of the sector hoping for an errant ball or a form phrase from one of many gods stretching and jogging on the sector.

After warming up the infield earlier than every inning, the Reds’ first baseman would often lob the ball into the sparsely populated stands.

We have been lucky to sit down behind a lifelong Reds fan, who has been coming to video games since he was 6.

“I’m ready on administration to supply an apology for this yr’s season,” he stated. Unlikely, he instructed us.

Our neighbor waxed nostalgic concerning the glory days, the 70s, when the Large Purple Machine, with the likes of “Charlie Hustle” (Pete Rose), Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan and Tony Perez, was a dominant pressure in Main League Baseball.

Rose, who as soon as got here to Columbus to talk at a Boys and Women Membership fundraiser, stays a controversial determine.

A conspicuous presence within the MLB file e-book — most hits, most at bats, an all-star at 5 positions — Rose was banned from Baseball’s Corridor of Fame for playing on video games during which he performed or coached.

Clearly Pete has his adherents. On the sport we attended, a person walked previous sporting a purple T-shirt that learn, “I’m with Pete, $200 on the Reds.”

I turned the kayak upstream and commenced paddling again to the takeout. On the rowing membership, the final of the scullers, a women crew, was carrying a ship up the hillside.

As I paddled up the river, the noise of the stadium and the riverboat light. A waxing gibbous moon* had risen overhead, and within the fading mild, nature quietly reasserted its primacy.

*Tonight is the Full Harvest Moon.

Birney Imes (birney@cdispatch.com) is the previous writer of The Dispatch.

Birney Imes III is the speedy previous writer of The Dispatch.